Pilot Debrief

EVOLUTION TRIKES REVO near Kekaha, HI — 2014-03-11

Final reportWPR14FA135
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Date
2014-03-11
Location
Kekaha, HI, USA
Airport
PHPA
Aircraft
EVOLUTION TRIKES REVO
Registration
N98EV
Category
Trike
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The pilot's reconfiguration of the fuel venting system, which resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent loss of aircraft control.

NTSB narrative

The instructor was taking the student on an introductory instructional flight in a special light-sport weight-shift-control aircraft (trike). After departure, the instructor maneuvered the trike over the ocean and along the coast at an altitude of about 1,000 ft above ground level. About 20 minutes into the flight, the trike descended into terrain, impacted in a near vertical attitude, and was consumed by fire. Although the pilot was in radio communication with another trike, he did not report that he was having any difficulties. The pilot had recently experienced a problem with the trike's fuel system: during a previous flight, fuel was streaming out of the vent line due to suction created by its position in the airstream. Although the airframe manufacturer explained that this can be normal, the pilot decided to reposition the vent line. Before the accident flight, the pilot had re-routed the clear plastic vent line so that it ran up the mast and aft along the keel (inside the keel pocket) and then bent 180-degrees upward and around to face into the airstream. The severe impact and fire damage to the trike precluded determination of the events that led to the departure from controlled flight. However, the rerouted vent line may have become constricted due to the rerouted configuration, either by the tie wraps securing it to the keel or by the keel tube riding tightly against the keel pocket in flight. Such a constriction would lead to the fuel system becoming fully depressurized and the engine experiencing a loss of power due to fuel starvation. It is likely that the pilot became distracted by the loss of power and subsequently lost control of the trike.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have addressed fuel vent line issues before flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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